Lessard new County Commissioner Maglaras, Watson other two victors

Thursday

Nov 8, 2012 at 12:01 AM

By Andrea Bulfinchabulfinch@fosters.com

DOVER — Strafford County will have a new county commissioner in Leo Lessard, who received the highest vote total of 33,125 from the 13 communities making up Strafford County. In second place was incumbent Commission Chairman George Maglaras with 29,651 votes, and then incumbent Robert J. Watson in third place with 28,377 votes. Catherine Cheney, currently a commissioner, was bumped from her post, collecting the fourth highest vote total of 24,237. Placing fifth in the six-way race was Diane Wood, who received 21,058 votes. In sixth place was Mac Kittredge, who garnered 17,500 votes.

In an earlier interview with Foster’s, Lessard, 62, of Milton named issues he felt commissioners will face in the future.

“I want to make it more transparent, accessible and relevant for the citizens of Strafford County,” he said. “Over the past 10 years, the state has downshifted about $30 million to the county and its nursing home. The downshifting is in response to the insufficient funding of the state’s Medicaid program. The budgeting for Medicaid will be the major issue facing the Board of Commissioners for the foreseeable future.”

Currently serving as the registrar of deeds for Strafford County, Lessard also serves on the board of directors as a past president of the N.H. Association of Counties.